


Moonlight

by nirroca



Series: Lavender [9]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/F, Snippet, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 20:33:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18239873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nirroca/pseuds/nirroca
Summary: Cassandra slips away the night of the celebration of Corypheus' defeat, Ellana follows.





	Moonlight

After their victory over Corypheus, the journey back to Skyhold was slow going, leisurely almost after months of constantly scrambling to keep the upper hand against his forces. 

 

They hadn’t spoken much, but Cassandra knew they would once they got back. Ellana had barely left her side the entire time, not even bothering to try and find excuses to be close to her.

 

It was the first time she’d ever seen Ellana laugh so freely outside the privacy of their rooms. Smile so much. Which made sense because a tremendous weight had been lifted from her when the breach had finally been sealed properly.

 

That was until they got closer to Skyhold and they were greeted on the roads by nobles and wellwishers, and Cassandra felt the change in Ellana like a loss.

 

The feeling only got worse once they returned to Skyhold, and after months of speculation word had finally arrived that Leliana had been named as Divine. The night of the victory celebration Ellana was expected to spend most of her time mingling with the guests who were looking to gain themselves favour and by Leliana’s side after throwing so much of her support behind her candidacy.

 

Cassandra finds herself watching on the sidelines, proud of everything that Ellana has accomplished. Of how far she’s come not just as a leader but as a person in that same time.

 

Wishes that she can just whisk her away from all this and give her the peace and quiet she knows she needs. It's well hidden but Cassandra can see the strain in her smile, the way she taps the toe of one of her boots against her heel when she’s frustrated.

 

Cassandra herself is tired and after washing off the filth of their fight with Corypheus and the grime of travel earlier that day Cassandra wanted nothing more than to collapse into their shared bed and bury herself between the blankets and furs and sleep until the next age. And she knew Ellana felt the same way.

 

It's selfish really. And she knows it will end with Ellana making excuses to leave the main hall earlier than Josephine and Vivienne would deem polite to search for her. But Cassandra doesn’t care. After everything they’ve done, after everything _ Ellana _ has sacrificed for all of them they deserve some peace.

 

Ellana especially.

 

She manages to slip out of the main hall and through the door rooms when Sera causes a scene near one of the fireplaces (if she didn’t know any better she would have thought it was staged) and sighs in appreciation of the silence that surrounds her the higher she climbs. 

 

She almost doesn’t hear the soft footfalls behind her.

“I should have known Sera’s prank was planned,” Cassandra laughs as she keeps climbing, not bothering to look back.

 

“I thought it would never end, and she offered at the start of the night, so all I had to do when I saw you trying to sneak off was give her the signal and here we are,” Ellana sighs, and there is no mistaking the tiredness in her voice. “Josephine is still going to kill me though.”

 

“If she decides to do it early tomorrow morning I don’t think I can be held responsible for my actions.”

 

“Ah the fearful Seeker Pentaghast, my hero and protector. Defending both my honour and my rest,” despite how tired she is Cassandra can still hear the grin in Ellana’s voice. 

 

“Oh no, she can have you. I for one am looking forward to a good night sleep and Maker help anyone who interrupts that.”

 

Ellana’s laughter breaks the stillness of the room when they finally reach the top of the stairs. 

 

The light of the twin moons is filtering through the glass of the windows and doors, giving the room a silvery glow. Cassandra sighs as she moves over to one of the armour stands, stripping herself down to just her breeches and shirt before moving to help Ellana with her own.

 

Despite how tired she is, there is still excitement running through her veins, leaving her feeling restless. Cassandra takes Ellana by the hand and leads her out onto the balcony with the best view of the mountains that surround the keep (also the one that affords them the most privacy). She leans back onto the stone railing and pulls Ellana so that her back is against her chest. Her slouch affords her the ability to rest her chin on Ellana’s shoulder and Cassandra draws her closer by wrapping her arms around her waist, presses a kiss to Ellana’s cheek when she feels her sigh and relax into her. 

 

“It's nice to not feel so heavy in your arms for once,” Ellana says quietly, and despite having had this conversation so many times before, it still makes Cassandra’s heart ache in her chest.

 

“You’ve never been a burden my love, and you never will be,” Cassandra whispers to her. To the mountains. Draws her closer still when Ellana reaches for her hands, holding them both with a tight grip of her own. 

 

The light of the moon paints everything in shades of silver, and the snow on the mountains glisten like silverite. Cassandra feels like she's a character in a masterful landscape portrait, dwarfed by her surroundings and the woman in her arms.

 

But for the first time since she can remember she feels calm. At peace. Everything around them is illuminated and Cassandra feels light. 

 

“I love you,” she exhales deeply.

  
  
Inhales the sweetness that is Ellana, and in the still moonlight resolves to hold onto her for as long as she’ll let her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> As always feedback is appreciated


End file.
